Brick splitting mechanism



Aug. 4, 1936. F. KOCH BRICK SFLITTING MECHANISM Filed April 15, 1955 INVENTOR Fritz K Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE BRICK SPLITTING MECHANISM Fritz Koch, St. Paul, Minn.

- Application April is, 1935', Serial No. 16,341

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a brick splitting mechanism, and more particularly to a machine. for splitting standard size burned, or finished, brick, so that the two halves of the brick may each be used as a veneering brick where a brick of half the normal width is required.

In the construction of brick veneered buildings, I have developed during the past three years the use of a brick half the width of the standard size brick, .namely one and seven-eighths inches, the standard brick being about three and threequarters inches in width. For convenience I have called these half brick two-inch veneering brick.

In the past these two-inch brick have been manufactured as separate units, so that it was necessary to'carry a stock of two-inch brick as well as the standard width brick. With the use of the present mechanism it is merely necessary to manufacture standard size brick with the texture of both faces of the brick the same, and when this is done and the brick are split, as herein set forth, the two halves may be used in the same manner as the old two-inch brick.

An object of the present invention is to make a brick splitting machine to uniformly divide bricks.

Another object is to uniformly divide brick having similar textures on both faces thereof into half brick of equal size and similar facings.

Another object is to uniformly divide brick so that when solid brick, that is, brick without holes, are split, the inner facing of each half of the split brick may be used as the exposed surface in the ve-neering wall, thus producing a rough, or rock-faced, texture.

In order to attain these objects, there is provided in accordance with one feature of the invention, an adjustable guideway upon which a brick may be placed and guided between the splitting jaws of the device. The splitting jaws of the device are movable toward each other to engage the brick on opposite sides thereof and split the brick on the plane of the splitting jaws.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully brought out in the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the mechanism mounted on a portable carriage, which may be readily moved from one pile of bricks to another, and from one job to another.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View of one of the splitting jaw assemblies of the mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective, sectional view of the fragment shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a view in detail of a brick split under my method illustrating the character of brick face formed by the splitting.

Referring to the drawing in detail 'a bench l is provided with supporting wheels 2, stationary ends upon plates 8 which have connected thereto 15 on their lower faces threaded posts 9 and I0. Each of these posts fit into a threaded receptacle II and I2, respectively, each of which has a central opening of a size to receive the posts 9 and I freely therein.

Interiorly threaded wheels l3 and M are threadedly mounted upon the posts 9 and Ill, respectively, and rest upon the receptacles H and I2, respectively. By turning the wheels I3 and I l upon the posts, the posts 9 and I5, and thereby the track formed by the angle irons 5 and 6, may be adjusted vertically to a desired position.

Splitting jaws l5 and I6 are here shown as being mounted on the inner faces of an ordinary type of bench vise H. The splitting jaw assemblies here employed are similar to each other and it will, therefore, be necessary to describe but one of these jaws.

The assembly comprises an angle iron member I8 secured to the vise as by means of screws l9 and 20. A splitting blade 2| is mounted to rest on the horizontal portion 22 of the angle iron member l8. The splitting jaw is provided with openings, not shown, of a size to freely receive cap screws 23 and a retaining plate 24 is mounted over the rear end of the splitting blade and is also provided with openings, not shown, to freely receive the cap screws 23. The cap screws are threadedly inserted in threaded openings, not shown, of a size to freely receive cap screws 23 and a retaining plate 24 is mounted over the rear end of the splitting blade and is also provided with openings, not shown, to freely receive the cap screws 23. The cap screws are threadedly inserted in threaded openings, not shown, in the horizontal portion 22 of the angle iron member I8. By tightening down these cap screws the entire assembly may be securely locked into a rigid structure.

In opening the device a handle 25 of the vise 11 is operated to open the jaws of the vise I! so that a brick 1 may be slidably moved along the track composed of the angle iron members 5 and 6 to the position indicated at 26 between the splitting jaws of the mechanism. The height of the runway or track is then adjusted by means of the hand wheels l3 and M to bring the center of the brick into alinement with the splitting jaws. Once made, this adjustment need not be changed for bricks of the same width. The handle 25 of the vise I! is then turned to move the jaws of the vise toward each other. The splitting blades 2 I, engaging opposite sides of the brick, split the brick lengthwise into two even parts. The split brick is then moved along the track by the operator to the position indicated at 2'l, a fresh brick is introduced between the jaws and the process repeated until the necessaryamount of brick has been split.

After splitting, the two halves of. the brick are permitted to remain together and by' grasping thesides of the brick the split brick may be handled as a single, full-sized brick until it reaches the mason for setting in position.

While here shown as a portable device with hand operated splitting jaws, it is to. be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular construction, and it would be a simple matter for any ordinary mechanic to provide the device with power operated jaws and a power conveyor. if rapid machine operation were required.

It is preferred that the bevel of the blades be positioned upward, as illustrated, since with a downward bevel it has been found that the bricks are crushed downwardly toward the track, which is an undesirable feature.

By means of my improved machine and method I am able to produce from standard, burned brick two half bricks or veneering bricks, which can be laid with the faces opposite their split faces exposed to display a normal face, or by laying thernwith the split faces exposed, they provide a rock faced contour as'illustrated in Figure 4, making a particularly attractive brick facing.

I claim:

A brick splitting mechanism, comprising in combination, a support frame, adjustable track support means mounted on said frame, a track mounted on said supports to be vertically adjustable by said supports, said track having guide means of a width to receive a brick therebetween, a pair of blade supports mounted one on each side of said track and spaced upwardly therefrom, operating means o'peratively associated with said blade supports to forcibly move said blade supports toward each other, each of said blade supports comprising a horizontal portion adapted to receive a blade thereon, and a vertical rear portion adapted to receive the rear face of, a cutting blade to absorb the thrust therefrom, a blade mounted in each of said blade sup- 9 

